Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Poetry and Incidents., Volume 4.
Frank Moore, Ed.

Adventures of Drake De Kay.--From Newport News a pleasant story reaches us of the sailor-soldier Drake de Kay. He was doing some corsair-work in one of the Cumberland's launches. Drake saw his persistent foe, the Teaser, but kept on his course with a flowing sheet as he observed her steadily to leeward. She whirled quickly, however, and getting into the blaze of the afternoon sun, steamed down on Drake.

About went the launch, head on for shore — out went the oars, five in number — bang! went the Teaser's bow rifled gun--“hurrah!” yelled De Kay, and bang! went his revolver, in derisive reply to the cruiser's fire. The chase instantly got a desperate interest. At every puff of smoke from the Teaser's gun, De Kay slightly put down his helm. Nice seamanship, a quick eye, and a cool brain carried the launch safely through a fire of shots, screaming, roaring close about her, and dashing the water over the crew — the irrepressible joker hooting disrespectfully, and aggravating the Teaser with pantomime as amusing as audacious. The boat touched the river-bank. To pitch out oars, masts and sail — to draw the plug from the bottom, and to tumble out his five men, and order them up the bluff — the Teaser firing at them as they went — was the work of a moment for De Kay. To lower a boat — to tumble twelve men into her — to hand down twelve rifles to them, and to push them off, was but the work of a moment for the Teaser.

Drake, lying on his breast, with his face within the edge of the bluff, saw, and jocosely as well as audaciously resolved. He jumped up, and ran to the fence of Lee's house, close at hand, tore off six of his pickets, armed his crew, and drew them up on the edge of the bank, with their deadly arms at present. The Teaser's boat passed — and turned. The Cumberland's launch was saved, and the pleasant laugh of General Mansfield's aid-de-camp went far over the James river.